Английский язык для студентов юридических специальностей. Рабочая тетрадь (упражнения к учебнику Introduction to International Legal English)

Unit 2. Contract law

5)You have a perfect right to _________ the newspaper for damages, since they published false information.

6)Provided that both sides sign this agreement, the deal may be considered to be _________ .

7)The offer was __________ for the second time, since the terms were not satisfactory for the company.

8)After _________ the date of loading the buyer shall give the seller at least two weeks’ notice of probable readiness of vessels.

9)The singer has filed a €10 million ________ against his record company.

10)The _________ of the contract is transportation of the certain consignment of goods to the border.

2.5. Give the Russian equivalents to the words below and prepare for dictation.

1)subject matter

2)to award damages

3)party to/of

4)to terminate the contract

5)reasonable grounds

6)require

7)due to

8)to rule against/ in favour

9)to sue for damages

10)offer

11)to reject/accept an offer

12)to file a lawsuit

13)to sign an agreement

14)remedy

15)to form a contract

16)to impose monetary compensation

17)to settle

18)shipment

19)to perform a contract

20)specific performance

2.6. Find out what words are defined below.

1)a statement by agreement to the terms of a contract

2)something legally sufficient to make a contract binding; price of a contract

3)an ability to make legally binding contracts

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Английский язык для студентов юридических специальностей

4)the requirement of a valid contract allowed by law

5)the requirement of a valid contract that the parties express their agreement in a sufficient clear form

6)an invitation to create legal obligations

7)special and general arrangement, rule, requirements, standards etc., forming integral parts of a contract or agreement

2.7. Make a spider diagram with the words you associate with “contract” to make collocations.

Translation Section

2.8. Translate the sentences from Russian into English.

1)a) Мы вступаем в договорные отношения, когда покупаем товары или услуги.

b)Одним из возможных средств правовой защиты является приказ о реальном исполнении договора стороной, которая отказалась выполнять условия договора.

c)Если каждая из сторон контракта не предлагает другой стороне какое-либо встречное удовлетворение (вознаграждение), то контракт не имеет юридической силы.

d)Мы считаем необходимым обозначить данное (обсуждаемое) условие контракта как его отдельный пункт (contractual clause).

e)В момент совершения покупки продавец не сообщил покупателю о дефекте.

2)В различных правовых системах имеются свои особенности в регулировании купли-продажи. Например, в США особое значение придается гарантиям исполнения (performance security): понятию гарантий, подразумеваемым гарантиям и средствам защиты в случае нарушения гарантий. Купля-продажа товаров в США регулируется специальным кодифицированным нормативным актом – Единообразным торговым кодексом (ЕТК). Как и в праве континентальных стран, в американском праве заключение договора предусматривает оферту (предложение заключить договор на определенных условиях) и ответ лица, к которому направлена оферта, о согласии принять предложение

изаключить договор на предложенных условиях. Согласно статье 201 ЕТК,

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Unit 2. Contract law

если договор продажи содержит условие о покупной цене более 500 долларов США, стороны должны совершить договор в письменной форме.

Reading Section

2.9. Read the text and fill in the gaps with the words given in the box.

I.

Civil justice in England and Wales

Civil justice in England and Wales is mainly dealt with in the 1) _______

and, in the case of more substantial or complex cases, the 2) ______. The jurisdiction covers a very wide range – from quite small or simple claims, for example damaged 3) ______ or recovery of debt, to large 4) _______ between multi-national companies.

Civil cases involve hearings in 5) ________ which the public may attend, hearings in the judge’s private room from which the public are excluded, and matters decided by the judge in private but on the basis of the papers alone.

Most civil disputes do not end up in court, and those that do often don’t go to a full trial. Many are dealt with through 6) _______ (a process taking place outside a court to resolve a dispute) or by using established complaints 7) _____. But where a case does go through the courts, the aim is to make it as simple as possible. For smaller claims there is a speedy and cheap way of 8)

______ disputes – through the small claims court.

Judges in the civil 9) ______do not have the power to imprison a losing party. Ordinarily, but not always, they 10) _____ financial ‘damages’ to the successful party, the size of which depends on the circumstances of the claim.

(Taken from: Режим доступа: www.judiciary.uk/about-the-judiciary/ the-justice-system)

II. Find definitions to open court and mediation in the text.

Writing Section

2.10. Answer the following questions in writing.

1) What does contract law deal with?

1)What are the requirements for formation of contract?

2)Which remedies does the court award for breach of contract?

3)What is the usual remedy for the breach of contract in the common-law tradition?

4)What are the ways of contract enforcement and dispute resolution?

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Английский язык для студентов юридических специальностей

2.11. Write 150-200 words about the court system in Russia. Follow the plan:

- state where justice is administered, identify types of courts - state briefly the jurisdiction of district courts

- state briefly the jurisdiction of second instance (appellate) courts

- state briefly the jurisdiction of the Constitutional and Supreme courts

2.12. Describe a process of contract formation using the terms below (write about 10-15 sentences).

an offer; the price; an acceptance; consideration; a statement; capacity; a requirement; legally binding; an intention; (certainty of) terms; warranty; guarantee; an agreement; legal intent; subject matter

Presentation Section

2.13. Preparation

•Go to Appendix 4 and choose the topic for your presentation

•Work on the outline of your presentation.

What are you going to say in the introduction and conclusion? What are your main points going to be?

How are you going to structure the talk?

•Write the presentation in rough. Delete information that is irrelevant. Ensure the presentation flows smoothly.

•Try not to read from a script. You should know most of what you want to say.

•Prepare with key words and phrases (See Appendix 2).

•Rehearse your presentation – to yourself at first and then in front of someone (colleagues or friends).

Mind that:

Generalizing is a skill you should master! Giving thoughts indirectly is more natural for English and more polite.

direct

I know it well

I don’t know for sure.

It is not a proper time…

Our train is delayed

You are wrong. He has won.

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Unit 2. Contract law

2.14. Now practice: make the following phrases indirect.

Why do think he was a false witness? It is non-fatal assault.

You should leave time to check the answers. The court was postponed.

You can persuade the court it was self-defence. I can’t know the case for sure.

You can’t learn English in a fortnight.

He could turn to intensive methods based on hypnoses.

Reports Section

2.15. Choose one term and prepare a short report for the mates (2-minute talk). Start with the definition, give details on usage, provide examples (real cases are welcome).

1) consideration; 2) remedy; 3) offer; 4) assignment; 5) essential term; 6) warranty; 7) contract enforcement; 8) damages; 9) arbitration; 10) litigation; 11) tribunal; 12) conciliation; 13) mediation; 14) negotiation; 15) online dispute resolution; 16) deal; 17) agreement

Extra Activity Section

2.16. Read the text and add information about the essential elements.

Elements of a contract

Many people think that a contract is only legally enforceable if it is in writing by the parties of the contract. Yet most of us during our daily lives enter into contracts which are neither written nor signed but are perfectly legal transactions recognized by law. When we buy a lunch or a bus ticket, we enter into the agreement that is governed by the law recognized at courts. In order to be binding in law, a contract must contain certain essential elements. They are: ….

2.17. Study the situations and identify the missing essential elements of a contract. Prove your point.

1.You are in a bookstore and you want to buy a manual on display. You offer a shopkeeper money but he won’t sell.

2.A small hotel advertises cheap weekends for holidays in February. A schoolteacher writes asking for the weekend in February, and assuming that a booking has been made, arrives at the hotel to find it fully booked.

3.The owner of a small building firm is grateful to his friend who has many times fixed computers in his office free of charge. The businessman promises to repair the friend’s conservatory for no payment but the work is never done.

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Английский язык для студентов юридических специальностей

4.You buy a bike from a 12-year-old boy for $30.

5.A man sells his BMW car for $1,000 because the buyer is pointing a gun at his head.

6.A man buys a television from a shop on a hire purchase agreement. He negotiates the terms of the agreement with the manager and they both agree that there is no need for a written contract.

2.18. Decide if the following statements are true or false.

1.Acceptance by post takes place when the other party receives the letter.

2.Minors cannot make valid contracts.

3.Parties have an obligation to disclose all relevant documents to each other before the trial.

4.The term «claimant» means the same as «plaintiff».

5.All contracts shall be formed in writing.

2.19 Follow the link to a video English Legal System – Organization of

Courts and identify the jurisdiction of each UK court mentioned.

(Режим доступа: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAqisNivrXk).

Unit 3. Tort law

Vocabulary Section

3.1. Give definitions for the following words or word combinations.

3.2. Think of terms corresponding to the definitions.

1)damages, intended to punish the defendant for outrageous misconduct and to deter the defendant and others from similar misbehaviour in the future

2)the party initiating a lawsuit before a court

3)damage or harm caused to the structure or function of the body caused by an outside agent or force, which may be physical or chemical; may also refer to feelings or reputation

4)the means with which a court of law, usually in the exercise of civil law jurisdiction, enforces a right, imposes a penalty, or makes some other court order to impose its will

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Unit 3. Tort law

5)an intentional act by one person that creates an apprehension in another of an imminent harmful or offensive contact

6)certain circumstances that are so inherently dangerous or hazardous that there is no need for the plaintiff to prove direct fault or negligence, usually injuries or other damages caused by a defective product, damages caused by animals, and engaging in certain hazardous activities

7)the amount of evidence which a plaintiff (or prosecuting attorney, in a criminal case) must present in a trial in order to win

8)prospective damages awarded to compensate for the plaintiff’s diminished ability to earn wages in the future

9)an inaccurate statement made honestly but carelessly usually in the form of advice given by a party with special skill/knowledge to a party that doesn’t possess this skill or knowledge

10)a court which hears appeals from lower courts

3.3. Fill in the gaps using the words or word combinations from the box.

1)A defendant can be … to compensate for assault and battery in tort.

2)…. is a tort of making a false statement of fact that injures someone’s reputation.

3)When a court states that a judgment of a lower court is true, it … the judgment.

4)The essential elements of … consist of an act intended to cause an apprehension of harmful or … contact that causes apprehension of such contact in the ….

5)The person who sustains injury or suffers pecuniary … as the result of … conduct is known as the …, and the person who is responsible for … the injury and incurs liability for the damage is known as the defendant or ….

6)The plaintiff … the owner of the car, … that her injury … from the … of the driver.

7)The trial court … for the plaintiff, and he then … to the other court, which … that judgment.

8)It was the explosion that was the … cause of plaintiff’s injuries which could not have been….

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Английский язык для студентов юридических специальностей

3.4. Complete the table.

3.5. Give the Russian equivalents to the words below and prepare for the dictation.

1)to send libelous postings;

2)slander;

3)refund;

4)defamatory statement;

5)to harass customers;

6)retraction;

7)to commence proceedings;

8)to put a client at ease;

9)to sue for gross negligence;

10)an out-of-court settlement;

11)proximate cause of an injury;

12)to reverse the judgment of the appellate court;

13)to review the decision of a lower court;

14)to affirm the judgment;

15)an injunction to stop tortious conduct;

16)to request damages;

17)lower court ruling;

18)to provide relief for the harm suffered;

19)medical malpractice cases;

20)a litigant-in-person.

3.6. Translate the sentences from Russian into English.

1) Структуру деликта составляют три элемента. Во-первых, истец должен показать, что ответчик был юридически обязан действовать

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Unit 3. Tort law

определенным образом. Во-вторых, истец должен показать, что ответчик нарушил свою обязанность, не исполнив того, что от него требовалось в соответствии с обстоятельствами. В-третьих, истец должен доказать, что понес убытки или пострадал в прямой связи с нарушением ответчиком своих обязанностей.

2) В сфере экономических отношений деликтное право обеспечивает судебную защиту коммерческим предприятиям, пострадавшим в результате недобросовестной конкуренции. На рабочих местах сотрудники защищены нормами деликтного права от намеренного или халатного причинения эмоционального давления. Деликтное право позволяет регулировать отношения в сфере экологии, обеспечивая средства защиты, как против физических лиц, так и коммерческих предприятий, загрязняющих воздух, землю и воду в пределах определения деликта «неблагоприятное воздействие».

Reading Section

3.7. Read the text and fill in the gaps with the words given in the box.

a)careless; b) expenses; c) claimants; d) prohibiting; e) malicious; f) loss;

g)consented; h) distress; i) compensation; j) merit

Remedies in tort.

There are two key remedies available for 1)________: damages and injunction. Damages provides financial 2)___________ to the claimant for their losses. Damages can be broken down into the following subcategories:

•Nominal: where a tort has been committed but the victim has suffered no 3)__________.

•Contemptuous: where the claimant is successful but the court considers that it should not have been brought and was without 4)_________. A very small or derisory amount of damages may be ordered in such cases.

•General: to compensate for non-economic damages such as pain and suffering and emotional 5)__________.

•Special: the claimant must plead these damages as part of the action and prove that the damage was in fact suffered. For instance, damage to property and medical 6)____________.

•Aggravated damages: if the court decides that the tort was committed in a 7)_____________ manner, i.e. to harm the claimant’s character or question his dignity, then aggravated damages may be awarded.

•Exemplary or punitive damages: these may be awarded when the court finds that the action committed by the defendant is so serious that an example needs to be made of them.

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Английский язык для студентов юридических специальностей

Injunctions

In some cases, it may be appropriate to apply to the court for an injunction. An injunction is a court order 8)_____________ or requiring a certain course of action to be taken. This can be in addition to a damages claim.

Defences The following are defences to tort actions:

•Vicarious liability

•Contributory negligence

•Volenti non fit injuria

Where a tort was committed by an employee while undertaking his or her duties of employment, i.e. there was a close and direct connection with the harmful act committed by the employee and what they were employed to do, the employee can deny liability and claim that the employer was vicariously liable.

Contributory negligence

This is a partial defence used whereby the claimant is accused of acting in a 9)____________ manner at the relevant time, and therefore contributed to the injuries or loss which they have suffered.

Volenti non fit injuria

Volenti non fit injuria effectively means ‘consent’. It means that the claimant cannot complain about what has happened on the basis he voluntary assumed the risk, i.e. he has 10)_____________ to the conduct (which otherwise would have amounted to a tort). For this defence to stand, it must be proved that the plaintiff acted voluntarily with the other’s agreement, and it was made in full knowledge of the nature and extent of the risk involved.

Writing Section

3.8. Write answers to the following questions.

1)What are the main reasons for filing frivolous lawsuits?

2)What is the difference between punitive and compensatory damages?

3)What are the main differences between criminal law and tort law?

4)Name three general categories of torts.

5)What examples of unfair business practices can you give?

6)What are advantages and disadvantages for the clients and for the law students who choose law clinics?

7)Would you like to try yourself as a staff member of a law clinic?

8)What can a defendant do to stop a defamatory action?

3.9. Write 150-200 words about civil law in Russia. Follow the plan:

- give definition;

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